Wide-spread inconsistency in estimation of lake mixed depth impacts interpretation of limnological processes

Gray, Emma; Mackay, Eleanor B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5697-7062; Elliott, J. Alex; Folkard, Andrew M.; Jones, Ian D.. 2020 Wide-spread inconsistency in estimation of lake mixed depth impacts interpretation of limnological processes. Water Research, 168, 115136. 10, pp. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115136

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115136

Abstract/Summary

The mixed layer, or epilimnion, is a physical concept referring to an isothermal layer at the surface of a water body. This concept is ubiquitous within limnology, is fundamental to our understanding of chemical and ecological processes, and is an important metric for water body monitoring, assessment and management. Despite its importance as a metric, many different approaches to approximating mixed depth currently exist. Using data from field campaigns in a small meso-eutrophic lake in the UK in 2016 and 2017 we tested whether different definitions of mixed depth resulted in comparable estimates and whether variables other than temperature could be assumed to be mixed within the layer. Different methods resulted in very different estimates for the mixed depth and ecologically important variables were not necessarily homogenously spread through the epilimnion. Furthermore, calculation of simple ecologically relevant metrics based on mixed depth showed that these metrics were highly dependent on the definition of mixed depth used. The results demonstrate that an idealised concept of a well-defined fully mixed layer is not necessarily appropriate. The widespread use of multiple definitions for mixed depth impairs the comparability of different studies while associated uncertainty over the most appropriate definition limits the confirmability of studies utilising the mixed depths.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115136
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Water Resources (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0043-1354
Additional Keywords:	mixed depth, lake, phytoplankton, oxygen, euphotic depth
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	28 Oct 2019 17:31 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/525622

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115136

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Water Resources (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

0043-1354

Additional Keywords:

mixed depth, lake, phytoplankton, oxygen, euphotic depth

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment